Improvement in car-couplings



J. M. VAN WHY. Gar-Coupling.

No. 222,551 Patented Dec. 9, 1879.

III

NJETERS. PHOTO-LQHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTUN. I) I;

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. VAN WHY, OF ELMIRA, YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO GREIGHTON R. SKELTON.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,55l, dated December 9, 1879 application filed August 20, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. VAN- WHY, of Elmira, in the county of Ohemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being bad tothe accompanyin g drawings, which form part of this specification.

draw-heads placed at diflerentelevations.

rt or represent two draw-heads, which have the inclined surfaces 0 on their outer ends, so as to guide the links cl into position when the cars run together. These draw-heads are entirely open on their tops, and have the hooks e projecting above their centers, just at the tops of the inclines for the links to catch behind. These hooks do not form parts of the heads, but have their shanks passed down through holes in the heads, and their lower ends fastened in any suitable manner.

Should one of the hooks become broken or worn it can be replaced by another at very little expense.

The links d are pivoted at their rear ends upon the bolts 6, and while they can be raised freely up and down for the purpose of coupling and uncoupling, the two vertical flanges 0 prevent the slightest lateral play, whereby the links are always guided directly into place when the cars run together.

Pivoted upon the bolts i are also the supporting-links r, the front ends of which rest on the tops of the hooks e, so as to hold the ends of the links in a raised position above the hooks, so that when the cars start the links will slip off.

When the two links are coupled and it is desired to release the cars, it is only necessary to raise up the lower one of the links when it raises the other until the supports 1' drop back upon the tops of the books, when the links are allowed to fall down upon the supports. While resting upon the supports the links cannot catch behind the hooks, and hence the cars are uncoupled. Having the two links rest one upon the other,a single movement unhooks both.

It will be noticed that the supporting-links are placed upon the same pivots as the coupling-links, and in between the ends of the links, thereby not only simplifying the construction, but placing the supports in such a position as to be always ready for use, and using the two flanges to keep the supports in line with the hooks.

By placing the supports in the position shown only a very short light strip of metal is necessary.

I am aware that an open-topped bumperhead provided with a hook for the link m catch over, and a long pendent guard pivoted on the body of the car to prevent the links from coupling, is not new, and this I disclaim.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- In a car-coupling, the combination of the two open-topped buffer-heads a, hooks e, which are made separate from, and detachable from, the head, flanges 0, coupling-links d, and supports r, the links and supports being pivoted upon the same bolts 6, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of August, 1879.

J. M. VAN WHY. Witnesses:

F. A. LEHMANN, -W. S. D. HAINES. 

